14 PISHES OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 



In the park it naturally occurs in the Yellowstone River below the 

 falls as far up as Crevice Gulch, beyond which it is seldom found; 

 also in Madison and Gallatin Rivers below the falls; and has been 

 reported also from the junction of Firehole and Gibbon Rivers. 



Young whitefish, 2 to 5 inches long, from Montana, were planted 

 in park waters as follows: In 1889, 2,000 were placed in Twin Lakes 

 and 980 in Yellowstone River above the falls, and 10,000 more were 

 planted in the latter place in 1890. It is considered doubtful if any 

 of these have survived, owing to the number and size of voracious 

 trout in the Yellowstone River and the mineral character and high 

 temperature of Twin Lakes. 



This fish prefers clear, cold lakes and streams, where the usual 

 length of adults is about a foot or so, although it is known to have 

 attained a weight of 4 pounds. The cismontanus form is essentially 

 a river fish rather than an inhabitant of lakes, and is most abundant 



FIG. 2. Native whiteflsh; Rocky Mountain whitefish. 



in the eddies or deeper places of swift streams. It spawns in late fall 

 or early winter. 



It is a slender graceful fish, readily taking the artificial fly like a 

 grayling or trout, as well as natural baits, such as worms and insects, 

 and even fresh meat. However, owing to the smallness of its mouth, 

 the hook should be no larger than no. 10 or 12, and when hooked the 

 fish requires careful "playing" owing to the tenderness of the mouth 

 parts. It is a game fighter. It ranks high as a panfish, for, when in 

 condition, it is of surpassing sweetness and delicacy of flavor. 



3. NATIVE TROUT; CUTTHROAT TROUT; BLACKSPOTTED TROUT 



(Salmo darkii). 



(See Frontispiece.) 



In its numerous varietal, subspecific, or specific forms the cutthroat 

 or blackspotted trout is of extensive distribution on the Pacific slope. 

 In the park a form previously designated as Salmo lewisi is found 

 naturally in both the upper Snake and upper Missouri Waters, hav- 

 ing doubtless gained the latter from the Snake River by the way of 



